Sunday, July 6, 2014

On Saturday 5th July I staged
a second game of my refight of Camden.Dave Paterson and Dougie Kirby commanded the Patriots whilst Mark Taylor
and I commanded the British.Since Mark
and Dougie had not played in the previous game we made them the respective commanders
for their sides.Mark took command of
Webster’s regular brigade and the British reserve whilst I controlled Rawdon’s loyalist
units.Dougie commanded the 2
Continental brigades on the Patriot right whilst Dave commanded the 2 brigades
of Patriot militia on their left.I
provided all the figures.

View of the armies deployed from the east

I used the same OB as the first game but slightly amended the troop ratings.I made the British
skirmishers Crack and upgraded one line unit in Webster’s brigade to Stoic.In addition I also told the Patriot players
that if the North Carolina brigade became broken then the Virginia militia brigade
would from then also count as Wavering.Mark who was facing them did not know this. Original OB and troop ratings are athttp://blenheimtoberlin.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/28mm-awi-black-powder-camden-16th.html

Patriot centre - the Wavering North Carolina men - they proved Unwavering!

The British plan was to break the
Patriot left using the Regulars supported by the Reserve whilst my Loyalist command
screened the Continentals on the Patriot Right.The Patriot plan was to hold with their militia and attack with their
good right wing.The British advance on
their right developed slowly due to poor command rolls and hesitancy on the
part of Mark their commander who seemed overawed by the number of militia units
he was facing.This slow advance
enabled Dave’s militia to redress their line thus enabling more of their units
to face the British attack.The Patriot
right under Dougie made a steady advance against my screening loyalist
units.

British begin their advance - to disaster!

The British attack on the right was
held by the militia who were outshooting the British – repeated disorders
stopped the British from launching a coordinated bayonet
attack - the British brigade lost 2 units in the firefight.Webster’s
brigade was broken and had to withdraw to reorganise.Mark threw in the reserve but the 71st
Highlanders were also outshot and became shaken.The Legion cavalry made a gallant charge
breaking a North Carolina unit and their supporting Continentals but in their moment
of triumph they turned and fled from the field.The Highlanders also now had to retire to reorganise as they were part
of a broken brigade and their commander Tarleton had been carried away severely
wounded.

Unexpectedly confident militia await the onslaught

My Loyalists made a gallant stand
against Gist’s Continental Brigade in the firefight both sides became Broken
and had to retire to reorganise.My
problem was the Gist’s units rallied quicker than mine and under their artillery
fire my Brigade again became Broken.

Loyalists and Continentals engage closely

At that point we ended the game.The British had only 6 units left whilst the
Patriots still had 10 units and 2 guns.All the British brigades were broken and their centre and right had fragmented.We agreed it was a decisive Patriot victory.

Thanks to my wife Helena for providing
the excellent lunch in the garden. All my photos with descriptions at

Saturday, July 5, 2014

On Thursday I went to Hugh Wilson’s for
our latest game. This 28mm Back of
Beyond game designed by Dave O’Brien was set along the Trans-Siberian Railway. Colin Jack, Dave O’Brien and Hugh Wilson provided
the figures.Hugh Wilson built the
excellent terrain.We were using the
Setting the East Ablaze rules.We had 7
players at the game controlling Red, White, Czech, Mongolian, Chinese
Nationalist, Chinese Bandit and Japanese factions. I controlled the heroic Red faction.

Czech armoured train under fire

My Red faction entered between
Stations 1 and Station 2 and tried to intercept the 2 Czech armoured trains
steaming east.Unfortunately they were
too fast for me and my few shots at them missed.I then moved part of my force to engage the
Whites advancing from the West on Station 1 while my cavalry advanced on
Station 2 and set fire to the church in the town.The Czechs had stopped their trains to engage
the Chinese troops holding Station 3 who were supported by a river gunboat.I moved my MG and Siberian riflemen to support
the Chinese and engage the detraining Czech interventionists.The Czechs
had suffered some losses when the game ended for the evening.

Red troops overlook the railway

Chinese gunboat - scratch built by Dave O'Brien

At the end of the evening the game was
still very far from decided – my Reds had not suffered a single casualty.So it will probably last for at least another
2 evenings.The next game will be in 2
weeks but I will miss that game as I will be on holiday. We will be making some changes to the rules for our future games.

Czech troops detrain to attack Station 3

Once again thanks to Suzanne Wilson for the
catering on the evening. All my photos with descriptions at

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Last weekend I played out my latest AWI scenario here is the OB, briefing and troop types. I plan to play the game again this coming weekend. . Here is a link to all the photos with descriptions of the first game which was a marginal British victory -the British lost 4 units and the Patriots 7 - importantly 3 of the 4 Patriot brigades were broken.

Your Grand Army of the South
was moving south by a night march to attack the British supply base at Camden.
However in the early morning 7 miles north of Camden your scouts ran into the
advance guard of the British army.Both
sides have now deployed for battle in the area of open ground on both sides of
the main road bordered by the swamp.

Your Army is deployed in a
single line of brigades with a brigade held back in reserve.The right of your line is comprised of the 2nd
Maryland continental brigade supplemented by the Delaware line, the centre is
comprised of 2 brigades of North Carolina militia, the left comprises of the
Virginia militia brigade and Armand’s Legion. The reserve comprises of the 1st
Maryland continental brigade and some Virginia state cavalry.

The continentals are all
proven troops but the militia has seen little or no action. During the night
march numbers of troops fell out of the ranks and the militia units seem
noticeably thinner than yesterday.

American
Forces

Commanding Officer Major
General Horatio Gates 7

Right Flank

Brig Gen Gist 7

2nd Maryland
Brigade & Delaware Line 3
units of 20 figures

Artillery 1
gun

Centre

Brigadier General John Butler
7

1st 2nd
& 3rd Brigade of North Carolina Militia 5 units of 20 figures

Artillery1
gun

Left flank

Brigadier General Edward
Stevens 7

Virginia Militia Brigade3
units of 20 figures

Armand’s Legion Cavalry unit of
6 figures

Armand’s Legion InfantrySKunit
of 12 figures

Reserve

Major General William
Smallwood 7

1st Maryland
Brigade2
units of 20 figures

Virginia State Cavalryunit
of 6 figures

Artillery1
gun

Patriot reserve advances to attack the British centre

Briefing - General Lord Cornwallis

Spies reported that General
Gates Grand Army of the South was moving south to attack your supply base at
Camden. You decided to surprise them by a rapid night march. However in the
early morning 7 miles north of Camden your scouts ran into the advance guard of
the rebel army.Both sides have now
deployed for battle in the area of open ground on both sides of the main road
bordered by the swamp.

Your Army is deployed with
one brigade on either side of the main road with some troops held back in
reserve. The right of your line is comprised of 3 units of British regular
infantry with some skirmishers. The left of your line is comprised of the
provincial loyalist regulars and volunteers. The reserve comprises of the 71st
Regiment and the cavalry of the British Legion.

Your British regulars are all
veteran troops but the loyalists are mixed in quality but many have seen action
in the past.

British Forces

Commanding Officer Lieutenant
General Lord Cornwallis 8

Right Wing

Lieutenant Colonel James
Webster 8

23rd Regiment of
Foot (Royal Welch Fusiliers)20
figures

33rd Regiment of
Foot 20
figures

Combined Light Infantry 20
figures

Skirmishers12
figures

Artillery1
gun

Left Wing

Colonel Francis Lord Rawdon 8

Volunteers of Ireland 20
figures

Royal North Carolina Regiment20 figures

British Legion Infantry 12
figures

North Carolina Volunteers12
figures

Artillery1
gun

Reserve

Lieutenant Colonel Banastre
Tarleton 8

British Legion Cavalry 12
figures

71st Regiment of
Foot (Fraser’s Highlanders)20
figuresHere are the troop ratings for the units.

UNIT

ARMAMENT

H TO H

SHOOTING

MORALE

STAMINA

SPECIAL

Continental Line

Musket

6

3

4+

3

First fire

Militia Virginia

Musket

5

3

5+

3

Unreliable, Levy 4+

Militia Nth Carolina

Musket

5

3

5+

3

Unreliable, Levy 4+, Wavering

Armands Legion Infsmall

Miusket

4

2

4+

2

Skirmish, Marauders

Cavalry small

--

4

--

4+

2

Marauder

Artillery

smoothbore

1

3-2-1

4+

2

--

British Line Infantry

Musket

6

3

4+

3

First fire, Crack

Highland Line Infantry

Musket

6

3

4+

3

First fire, Crack, Stoic

Loyalist Infantry

Musket

6

3

4+

3

First fire

Loyalist Inf small

Musket

4

2

4+

2

Skirmishers

Musket

4

2

4+

2

Skirmish, Marauders

Legion Cavalry

--

6

--

4+

3

Marauder

Artillery

smoothbore

1

3-2-1

4+

2

--

Crack

Reroll one morale save
each time they suffer casualties until they have casualties